In these three lectures we will begin by looking at some of the earliest embroidery in this country: St Cuthbert’s stole from the 10th century.

We will then consider one of the most significant pieces of embroidery, the Bayeux Tapestry, and then move on to the high point of hand embroidery in this country, Opus Anglicanum, which was undertaken by male and female professional stitchers in the City of London. Sought out by Popes, it was for the church and royalty, although today almost all that survives was for the church.

Lecture two will take us to the courts of the Tudors and Jacobeans. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were great users of embroidery of many different types and we will explore early blackwork as well as goldwork. Then we will see how the themes and motifs transfer into Jacobean crewelwork and 17th century caskets with Stumpwork, before seeing the development of colour in embroidery through the 18th century with its focus on silk shading for botanicals as decorative pieces, as well as for fashion for women and men.

The final session will begin with embroidery in the nineteenth century starting with Berlin wool work, which became an international craze. The century ends with the movement for art embroidery espoused by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and Walter Crane, along with the Royal School of Needlework, which was founded in 1872. We will then look at how embroidery developed in the 20th century, from the school curriculum to a leisure pursuit, and finally look at the range of work that is adorned by embroidery in the 21st century, from dresses to accessories, and from an embroidered car door to coronation robes.

This will be a highly visual day and no prior knowledge of embroidery is needed to enjoy it.